If your pipes are frozen, act quickly but carefully to avoid a burst and water damage.

First safety checks

  • If you suspect a pipe has already burst (you hear water spraying behind a wall, see new water stains, or find standing water), shut off the main water supply to the house immediately and call a plumber or emergency service.
  • If you only have no water or just a trickle from a faucet (especially on an exterior wall) and no visible leak, it is likely just frozen and may be salvageable with safe thawing.

What to do right now

  1. Open faucets
    • Slightly open the affected hot and cold taps so that when the ice begins to melt, water can flow and relieve pressure instead of bursting the pipe.
 * If you know which line is frozen, focus on those faucets first.
  1. Locate the frozen section
    • Common spots: pipes along exterior walls, in unheated basements, crawl spaces, attics, under sinks, or near drafty windows and doors.
 * Signs: very cold pipe to the touch, visible frost on the outside, or a section that feels solid compared to others.
  1. Apply gentle heat (no open flames)
    • Safest options include:
      • Hair dryer on a low/medium setting, moving slowly along the pipe starting near the faucet and working back toward the colder section.
   * Space heater in the room pointed _near_ (not right against) the pipes.

   * Warm towels soaked in hot water and wrapped around the pipe, refreshed as they cool.

 * Never use: blowtorch, propane torch, lighter, charcoal grill, or other open flame, which can start a fire or damage the pipe.
  1. Be patient
    • Thawing can take 30–45 minutes or longer depending on how cold it is, how long the pipes have been frozen, and where they are located.
 * Keep the faucet open the entire time; when water starts flowing steadily again, leave it running a bit longer to ensure all ice is cleared.

When to shut water off

  • If you see any crack, bulge, or dripping once the pipe starts to thaw, shut off your main water valve and call a plumber; that pipe is likely compromised.
  • If you will be away from home while it is still very cold, shutting off the main water and draining the lines (if possible) can reduce the risk of a burst while you are gone.

How to prevent it happening again

  • Keep the home at or above about 55°F (13°C), even at night or when away.
  • Open cabinet doors under kitchen and bathroom sinks on exterior walls so warm room air can circulate around the pipes.
  • Let faucets on vulnerable runs drip a small stream of cold water during extreme cold snaps; moving water is less likely to freeze.
  • Add foam pipe insulation or heat tape to exposed or unheated sections (basements, crawl spaces, garages, attics).
  • Disconnect and shut off outdoor hoses and hose bibs before hard freezes.

If at any point you are unsure where the frozen pipe is, cannot reach it safely, or lose power and heat, calling a licensed plumber or local emergency line is the safest move, especially during prolonged Arctic cold outbreaks that have been common in recent winters.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.